While most of us are now painfully familiar with the names of Ukrainian cities such as Mariupol and Kharkiv, what is less well known are the core reasons behind the conflict, as well as the potential mid to long term consequences of the war for the combatant nations, the United States, and its allies. Please join our service this Sunday, at which our guest speaker will be Robert “Bob” Beck. Bob, who retired to New Hampshire’s Monadnock region in August of 2020, had a 30+ year career overseas serving in US Embassies in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. He has a BA in Soviet and Eastern European Studies from the University of Maryland and an MA in International Relations from Boston University. Bob currently teaches Foreign Policy for Keene State’s Cheshire Academy for Lifelong Learning (CALL), where he recently gave an extensive ZOOM presentation on the current Russia/Ukraine crisis. He lives in Peterborough, NH with his wife of 36 years, Meg. This week’s service is presented by the Social and Environmental Action Committee on behalf of the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee’s Emergency Response Fund for Ukraine Aid. Our Sunday offerings for the month of May will be shared with this fund.
“The Ukraine Crisis”
(Why It Happened and What Are the Ramifications?)
We anticipate that this service will be both in-person and on Zoom. Click right here Sunday shortly before 10:00 a.m. to join via Zoom. Click here to read our protocols for in-person attendance.When attending in person, please completely power off your cell phone during the service to preserve the Church’s WiFi bandwidth for our Zoom attendees.
Order of Service
Sunday, May 1, 2022
Announcements and Board Greeting Ron Niswander
Prelude: Friling [Spring] composer, Abraham Budno
preserved from the Vilna ghetto (1943)
Eva Greene, piano
Chalice Lighting Mary Moriarty
To face the world’s coldness, a chalice of warmth. To face the world’s terrors, a chalice of courage. To face the world’s turmoil, a chalice of peace. May its glow fill our spirits, our hearts, and our lives. (Unknown)
Lighting our Children’s Chalice
We light this chalice to celebrate Unitarian Universalism. We are the church of the open minds. We are the church of the helping hands. We are the church of the loving hearts.
Opening Words Karen Tyler
Opening Song: “Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream” Ed McCurdy (1950)
Steve Squires, voice and guitar
Reading: “The Humanist Speaks of Easter” by Kendyl R. Gibbons
Anthem: “Guardians” Adrienne Jones
This week’s anthem, “Guardians” by Adrienne Jones, is a reprise of the anthem for October 10, 2021. It comes from the trio “Mad Agnes,” consisting of Jones, Margo Hennebach and Mark Saunders.
All Souls Choir, Tom Baehr, Director
Story for All Ages: “The Suitcase” by Chris Naylor-Ballasteros
Read by Ellie Weiss
Offering Guest Speaker: Robert “Bob” Beck, “The Ukraine Crisis”
Inviting the Offering shared with the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee Emergency Fund for Ukraine Karen Tyler
Offertory: “Nightingale”
Ukrainian children’s song, video by Olga Hovde
Reflection on Joys and Sorrows Karen Tyler
Closing Hymn #137: “We Utter Our Cry”
Words, Rev. Fred Kaan (1983); Music attributed to Johann Haydn (1737-1806)
Extinguishing the Chalice by Mark Bellentini (adapted)
Go in peace. Live simply, gently, at home in yourselves. Act justly. Speak justly. Remember the depth of your own compassion. Forget not your power in the days of your powerlessness. Crave peace for all people in the world, beginning with yourselves, and go as you go with the dream of that peace alive in your heart.
Closing Circle: “Carry the Flame of Peace and Love” (sung two times)
Benediction Karen Tyler
“The real and lasting victories are those of peace, not war.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Coffee Hour and Conversation